Could you afford one of the top ten dream cars? Thanks to some motorists' quirky choices you might just be able to

Motorists asked to vote for their ideal new car have proven that just because it's a dream, it doesn't have to be unaffordable.

Two weeks ago, I visited the Moving Motor Show in Goodwood, held just outside of Chichester in West Sussex. It offered the chance for motor enthusiasts to take a look at new, classic and current models up close, and also test drive them around the historic Goodwood track.

It also threw up some surprising results in an exercise to find the nation's dream new car. Specialist Auto Trader, which sponsored the show, had a special marque set up where the general public could look at specifications of 40 popular motors – and gave them the chance to vote for their ‘dream’ car from the bunch.

And now This is Money has the exclusive data from the poll in which thousands voted and can run down the top ten dream cars (11 really as two models were tied) along with their price tags. This is very much a ‘dream list’ – not a list of cars that most people are realistically going to buy - and, as such, models by Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche make the cut, but there are also some cheaper surprises in the list as well for dreamers on a tighter budget.

10. Smart ForTwo – from £9,450

Perhaps the biggest surprise on the list, the Smart ForTwo is the perfect economical car for those savvy drivers who want their dream car to do plenty of miles to the gallon and provide cheap insurance costs. The size of the Smart ForTwo makes it ideal for tackling the urban jungle. If you want to stand out from the crowd, the ForTwo is for you. It’s a stylish commuter which will see you stand out from the crowd. But if you regularly need to transport more than one passenger or more than a few shopping bags, forget it.

9. Fiat 500 – from £9,960

The cute, retro-inspired looks of the Fiat 500 give it an appeal few other city cars can match. The Fiat 500 is a remarkable city car - it can thread through crowded streets with ease, and is possibly one of the easiest cars to parallel-park, thanks to its short overhangs. The funky Fiat 500 is a chic fashion accessory as much as it is an excellent city car. It manages to pull off the retro look and feel without appearing as a shameless rip-off too. As with the Smart ForTwo, it is cheap to run and insure - thus making it a 'dream' car for many motorists.

8. Ferrari California – from £152,086

The Ferrari California is the real deal. Despite its bling looks it’s not just a poseur’s car. Most people will hear the California before they see it thanks to the amazing sound of the 4.3-litre V8 engine. Send the rev counter needle heading towards 8,000rpm, pull back on the steering column mounted gear change paddles and start heading through the seven gears and the California is massively fast. In other words it is a proper Ferrari.

7=. Aston Martin DB9 – from £125,992

Aston Martin’s exquisitely hand-crafted grand tourer is both beautiful and accomplished. If you like your speed combined with style there’s little out there to rival it. Few cars have such broad appeal, both in the way they drive and in desirability.

7=. Lotus Elise 1.6 – from £27,975

Since its introduction in 1997 the Lotus Elise design has become iconic. The Lotus Elise offers a unique driving experience, built for pure enjoyment on the road and track. Its handling is confidence inspiring for novices, but also allows more advanced drivers to improve their skills and enjoyment of the car.

6. Nissan GT-R – from £70,950

The Nissan GT-R has a combination of impressive performance and cutting-edge technology to make it one of the most intoxicating sports coupes on the road today. Unlike some models, the electronics create the car, rather than taking away from it. It’s a technological marvel and defines what 21st century sports-cars are all about.

5. Audi R8 4.2 FSI Quattro – from £86,935

With a top speed of 197mph and a dash to 62mph taking just 4.6 seconds, these are proper supercar figures. It might lack the badge heritage of supercar rivals, but where the Audi R8 V10 scores over the Jaguar XKR and Porsche 911 Turbo, is that it feels more special, is more desirable and easier to drive on the limit while offering the same performance package.

4. Ferrari 458 Italia – from £160,000

There is no question that the Ferrari 458 Italia sets the new benchmark for the class. The 4.5-litre V8 is ready to force 562bhp – more than three times the power of a Mini Cooper S – through the back wheels. The fantastic engine screams round to 9,000rpm and the noise is amazing. It sounds like a Ferrari F1 car but with the volume turned down to ten.

3. Porsche 911 GT3 RS – from £89,840

When it comes to performance cars, Porsche has some serious game and this sixth generation ‘991’ Porsche 911 remains the benchmark for both car makers and customers. It looks set to be another classic in the making. It’s more complete than ever; faster, better riding, better handling, more usable and more refined.This is Money is not sure about the bright orange paint job like the one in the picture has, however.

2. Mercedes-Benz, SLS – from £167,395

Taking the glorious lines of the ground-breaking 300SL ‘Gullwing’ from the 1950s and bringing them right up to date, the Mercedes SLS AMG is an incredibly-striking car. The roof-hinged ‘Gullwing’ doors help elevate it from the mere ordinary, which makes arriving in the SLS a real event.

1. Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera – from £184,915

The most expensive motor on the top ten list - the Gallardo does remain a 'dream' for the average motorist. The Gallardo was the first Lamborghini developed under Audi ownership, which means it's bulletproof - yet it loses none of its drama. There really aren't that many cars at the price and performance level of the Lamborghini Gallardo and its four-wheel drive system sets it apart too, making it more of an all-year-round kind of junior supercar.

WHICH 'DREAM' MOTOR WOULD YOU PICK FROM THE LIST?: If you could have any of the cars above, either from the top ten list or the list of motors that didn't make it, what would you choose - and why? Would you take the economical practicality of the Smart ForTwo, or the head-turning beauty of the Lamborghini Gallardo? Or would you pick a car that is not on this list? Let us know in the comment section below...